TCA launches online certificate program

The new program is divided into modules covering a wide variety of topics, including the role of the fleet manager as a business leader and tactics for ensuring top performance from drivers.

The Trucker News Services

11/28/2012

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has launched its latest Truckload Academy offering: an online certificate program for fleet and driver managers. The Highly Effective Fleet Manager, the first Academy program to offer a certificate, is a seven-part, online instructional series that focuses on the business, leadership, communication, and coaching skills that fleet managers must have to succeed at their critical role within a trucking company.

“The new certificate program is the next step in the evolution of TCA’s Truckload Academy,” said Chris Burruss, TCA’s president. “The Academy is one of our most dynamic resources, helping carriers understand and overcome the challenges of an ever-changing operating environment.Its educational offerings and real-world solutions play a big role in fulfilling the association’s mission ‘To create success for the truckload industry and the communities it serves.’”

The new program is divided into modules covering a wide variety of topics, including the role of the fleet manager as a business leader and tactics for ensuring top performance from drivers. Participants will develop key leadership and communication skills and will learn how structured coaching and behavioral knowledge can be applied to driver management. The program also outlines best practices that relate specifically to the fleet manager position.

The Highly Effective Fleet Manager can be purchased from the Truckload Academy Live Learning Center at www.truckload.org/LLC. Although anyone can buy the program for $599, TCA members pay only $459 (that is a discount of $140). Once purchased, the program can be accessed 24/7 for two years via an Internet connection. Modules are fully interactive, with links participants can click on for further information and quizzes to help measure comprehension. When finished with the instructional series, fleet managers must pass the online final exam and then will receive a certificate of completion that is suitable for framing.

“I have been anxiously anticipating the release of this new program from TCA’s Truckload Academy,” said Pete Hill, vice president of Hill Brothers Transportation. “My company has been involved with several of TCA’s training programs in the past, and the quality has been excellent. If the new fleet manager program is as good as what we experienced before, my company will definitely be participating.”

The Highly Effective Fleet Manager is the first of two certificate programs that TCA has been working on. In the spring of 2013, it plans to unveil a similar program for recruiters. While both programs will begin as certificate programs, TCA’s goal is to eventually change them into full certification programs, where participants earn a professional designation and must take ongoing continuing education in order to maintain their certification.